“A Pinch of Hope” Posted on December 23, 2020December 23, 2020 by Dakota Pike57 Littauer Employees Receive Pfizer VaccineGLOVERSVILLE, NY – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is proud to announce 57 of the healthcare organization’s employees embarked on a trip to be vaccinated today. In accordance with the guidance released from New York State, hospitals have been appointed “hub vaccine locations,” to safely store and distribute the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.To ensure safe social-distancing practices, three coach buses took 57 ecstatic Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home employees to the organization’s hub vaccine location at Mohawk Valley Health System’s Faxton St. Luke’s Campus in Utica, NY. During the trip, many employees wanted to share their sentiments of volunteering for their shot of the COVID-19 vaccine:“It’s moving, to say the least,” says Stephanie Fishel, RN, BSN, and Chief Nursing Officer at Littauer. “For a little over a year, we’ve been combating this deadly virus. Now, we can optimistically look forward. I am very proud of the clinical staff that are here today, getting vaccinated with me. All this time, there has been light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. We’ve almost reached that light, and this vaccine is going to help us get there.”Three coach buses fill up quickly with Littauer employees outside of the organization’s new Medical Arts Primary Care Center.“We’re all proud to represent the bigger picture here,” says Littauer’s Performance Improvement Specialist Wes McFee. “This is the beginning of a beautiful dream for a COVID-19-free community, nation, and planet. Many of us are humbled and honored to receive this vaccine.”The Pfizer SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccines were just a small portion of what was allocated to Littauer. With the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Moderna’s vaccine, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is set to receive 1,000 more SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks.“Our goal is to safely vaccinate our workforce as quickly and efficiently as possible,” says President and CEO of Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home, Sean Fadale. “We can expect more vaccines for the rest of our employees in the coming weeks, and many are excited to receive it. I am very proud of the employees who volunteered to receive their first dose of the vaccine. They are leading by example.”Additionally, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is launching a campaign on vaccination. It is called, “A Pinch of Hope.” The campaign will help educate the public on the safety and effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 vaccines and provide resources for the community.Excited, Littauer employees take a “selfie” on their journey to be vaccinated.To see pictures of Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home staff before and after their vaccinations, or for more information on the “A Pinch of Hope” campaign, visit the Nathan Littauer official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/NathanLittauerHospital
Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home and 1199SEIU Members Ratify New Contract Posted on November 19, 2020November 19, 2020 by Dakota PikeGLOVERSVILLE, NY – Healthcare workers at Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home in Gloversville, New York, represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement just as communities across the state are facing a surge in COVID-19 cases. On Monday, November 16, the 321 healthcare workers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the contract. The previous contract expired almost two years ago; the new agreement is effective July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023.“We have come to an equitable agreement at a pivotal time,” affirmed Sean Fadale, FACHE, Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home’s President and CEO. “As the holidays approach, I want the community to know they are in good hands at Nathan Littauer. We are excited we reached an agreement so we can continue to focus on the organization’s future. As this contract illustrates, we are a community hospital focused on unity and compassion. We strive to be fair to all employees allowing us to deliver outstanding patient care.”“This agreement proves that the dedicated Nathan Littauer healthcare workers are respected and valued for all that they do,” said Maureen Tomlinson, 1199SEIU Vice President in the Capital Region. “The agreed upon raises and wage increases indicate that we were heard when we said two important things: we need to be able to take care of our own families at the same time we care for others and Nathan Littauer must be able to attract and retain qualified staff. It is clear that when we work together, we can tackle even the most difficult challenges and there are many ahead. Together, we are prepared.”The two sides announced a four-year agreement that provides annual raises across the board to 1199 members, as well as base wage increases in certain job categories, which will help attract new employees. The workers will maintain their health and pension benefits through the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund, which is one of the most comprehensive joint labor-management funds in the nation.“Especially now, as we face a COVID-19 wave in our community, I am proud of this outcome,” explained Lana E. Wydra, PHR, SHRM-CP and Vice President of Human Resources for Littauer. “This agreement honors our employees, and the organization’s mission. Looking ahead, we are working toward a common goal: a strong workforce coupled with outstanding clinical outcomes to help keep our community safe.”“The hospital has been very successful in treating our neighbors with COVID-19 and will strive to keep our patients and staff safe during the challenging months ahead,” adds Fadale. “We invite our region to join us in that quest, by masking and following safety guidelines.”Littauer employees covered by the 1199 bargaining unit are technical and service employees, including licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, environmental services, nutritional services, lab and pharmacy technicians, diagnostic imaging services, engineering staff and others.“This is a great accomplishment as we continue to care for our community,” said Fadale. He went on to say, “Littauer and its employees can confidently move forward as one workforce.”XXXABOUT 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-¬growing healthcare union in the nation, with over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. For more information please visit www.1199seiu.org.ABOUT Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Family of Health Services serves Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton counties in upstate New York with a full-service, 74-bed acute care hospital, nine primary care centers, a nursing home and a community education center. The hospital was founded in 1894 and has 1,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.
Littauer’s Annual “Tree of Lights” to Take Place Virtually Posted on November 16, 2020November 16, 2020 by Dakota PikeGLOVERSVILLE, NY – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home’s Auxiliary will host its annual event, “The Tree of Lights Ceremony,” December 1, 2020 at Noon. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the event will virtually take place on the hospital’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NathanLittauerHospitalThe ceremony is held in the memory of, or in honor of a loved one. A listing of those who have been honored and memorialized will be displayed in the hospital lobby in their remembrance. Pictures of the display will be made available online. A light can be purchased by anyone who wishes to commemorate their loss of a loved one, and the tree will remain lit through the month of December.Littauer’s Tree of Lights and list of honored loved ones.To purchase a light, hang an ornament on the Littauer Tree of Lights, or for more information, please call Susan “Sue” McNeil, Director of Volunteer Services at Littauer, at (518) 773-5408.
History and Health Care Posted on October 23, 2020March 5, 2021 by Dakota PikeA New Primary Care Center in Caroga LakeGLOVERSVILLE, NY – Caroga is a town steeped in history. According to the town’s comprehensive plan, the roaring 20s marked an increase of commercial activity, complete with swelling summer populations. After the establishment of the Caroga campgrounds, many developments would take place, further increasing the population of the town.In 1992, the town acquired the old Wheelerville School, which was originally constructed in 1856. Soon after, the town opened: municipal offices, a courtroom, a public meeting space, with a medical clinic for the public. It wasn’t until late 2005, when Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home would lease a portion of the municipal building, would the area finally welcome their first primary care office.Thursday, September 24, 2020, began Caroga Lake’s newest historic milestone.From left: Building architect, Fred Franko; with Hyman Hayes Associates, Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoffrey Peck, former President and CEO of Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home, Laurence E. Kelly, Supervisor of Town of Caroga, Scott Horton, Caroga Lake PCC Coordinator, Betsy Oathout, and Caroga Town Clerk, Linda Gilbert, break ground for the new Caroga Lake Primary Care Center.Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home proudly announced to the Town of Caroga Lake; the construction of a new, modern primary care center. The new center is approximately 1,350 square feet of space, and will be next to Caroga’s Town Hall, where the original primary care center was housed. A groundbreaking ceremony marked the expansion of primary care in Caroga with: the building architect, Fred Franko; with Hyman Hayes Associates, former President and CEO of Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home, Laurence E. Kelly, Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoffrey Peck, and the Supervisor of the Town of Caroga, Scott Horton.“It is exciting to work with Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home in our commitment to the community,” said Horton. “We appreciate Nathan Littauer Hospital and everything they have done for the area. This new Caroga Lake Primary Care Center is a boon, and it shows that the area of our town continues to grow. In turn, so is its need for great healthcare services.” “We continue to expand our services we provide in the Adirondack area, and we look forward to meeting new patients,” says Alison Townsend, Physician Assistant with Nathan Littauer. “We provide an invaluable service to the community members here, and I think our patients are really grateful for that. There’s a lot of history here. I am incredibly impressed with Nathan Littauer’s ability to expand healthcare services, so they are more accessible for people in the region.”
Nathan Littauer’s Nursing Home Has New Guidance for Visitation Posted on September 8, 2020September 8, 2020 by Dakota PikeClick on the link below for more information on the organization’s guidelines for visitation:Visitation Guidelines
A Few Words From Sean Fadale: Interview with Jim Levulis from WAMC – Northeast Public Radio Posted on August 19, 2020August 19, 2020 by Dakota PikeJim Levulis of WAMC Northeast Public Radio interviews Sean Fadale, Littauer’s incoming President and CEO set for October.Sean talks about the changes to rural hospitals like Nathan Littauer, the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, and his thoughts on the accessibility of patient care.Littauer’s new President and CEO, Sean Fadale, during the interview with WAMC Radio.To listen to the full interview, visit WAMC’s website here: https://www.wamc.org/post/nathan-littauer-hospital-selects-new-ceoRead more about Littauer’s announcement of Sean Fadale as the new President and CEO here.
A Few Questions With Sean Fadale, Littauer’s New President and CEO Posted on August 19, 2020August 19, 2020 by Dakota PikeLittauer’s new President and CEO, Sean Fadale, walking into Littauer’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).Starting this October, Sean Fadale will take his seat in the CEO’s office at Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home — and be just about 15 feet away from the intensive care unit.That proximity is a physical sign of one of the ways rural hospitals can be different from the sprawling the medical complexes in more urban areas.Fadale’s career to this point has included several stops at organizations similar to Nathan Littauer, a 74-bed acute care hospital and 84-bed skilled nursing home in Gloversville. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton.Justin Dawes, a reporter with The Albany Business Review, spoke with Fadale about the role of rural hospitals and some of his main priorities during this time.Q: Why have you dedicated so much time to smaller, rural hospitals? A: I’ve spent the bulk of my career in rural health care. It is something that I have a great affinity for. There’s an opportunity at small organizations to be nimble, to be able to change course and trim our sails as necessary. The other thing I enjoy about it is that as a leader of the organization, I’m close to the employees and I’m close to the patients.Health care is a tough business, and that’s the reality of it — health care is a business. Knowing that each year we’re going to be reimbursed a little bit less for what we do and everything’s going to cost us a little bit more, we have to make sure that we are making the best decisions with the resources we have and still produce the best outcomes for our patients, at a low cost.Q: How important would you say the role of a rural hospital is to the community it serves? A: Without the hospital and our primary care centers, there may be people without local access to care. I think something that is critically important for rural health care organizations is that we’re a major employer in the area. So we are an economic engine for the community because we are a primary employer.Q: The White House recently issued an executive order on “improving rural health and telehealth access.” What are your initial thoughts on that and on telehealth in general? A: There are many organizations that need the legislative help, that need funding to be viable organizations for the future because COVID-19 has really wreaked havoc on organizations across New York state. So any legislative support from the New York state or federal governments will be usually beneficial.Telemedicine is something that’s going to be very important for organizations across the country, especially for rural health care. Telemedicine is another access point for our patients. It is absolutely something we have to continue to explore. When you look at rural health care, one of the things that you quickly realize is that transportation becomes an enormous issue.Q: What do you think your first move will be as Nathan Littauer continues to navigate the pandemic? A: For any organization, we have to make sure we have the best policies and procedures in place to keep our staff and our patients healthy; that we have enough PPE to handle a potential second wave or third wave; and that we are ready to tackle flu season when it comes. There may be things we need to figure out, but from everything that I’ve seen, they’re doing a great job here caring for their patients and caring for their staff.Click here to read Littauer’s announcement of Sean Fadale as the organization’s new President and CEO.
